'Real Mccoy' Was A Black Inventor

Answer Desk

Q: What is the origin of the saying "the Real McCoy"? -- K.S., Smithfield

A: The phrase, "The Real McCoy" is connected to black American inventor Elijah McCoy.

McCoy was born in 1844, the son of escaped slaves. When he was 15, he studied mechanical engineering for five years in Edinburgh, Scotland. After returning home, he became a railroad fireman on the Michigan State Railroad. He noticed that steam locomotives had to stop at intervals so that the fireman could oil their pistons, levers and connecting pins.

McCoy invented a device that allowed machines to be oiled automatically while still running. McCoy's lubricators were used on locomotives, steamships and factory machinery and became so successful that it had many copycats. None was as good, however, and buyers began to insist on getting "the real McCoy" -- adding a new phrase to the language.

Before he died in 1929, McCoy had invented some 23 different kinds of lubricators for various types of machinery and held 57 patents.

Elijah McCoy also patented an ironing table (1874) and a scaffold support (1907).